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G. A. STONE.

CORNSTALK CUTTER. y(Pat (Nn Model.)

tedJuly 7. 1885.'

No. 321,919.V

a d. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

GEORGE A. STONE, OE RICHMOND, MISSOURI.

CORNSTALK-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,919, dated July 7,1885.

Application led February 11, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it' may concern.

Beit known that l, GEORGE ALEXANDER STONE, of Richmond, in the countyot' Ray and State of Missouri, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Oornstalk-Cuttcrs, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figurel is a sectional side elevation of my improvement. Fig?. is a planview of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same, part beingbroken away.

The object of this invention is to facilitate the cutting of cornstalksin the field, so that the said stalks will be turned under by the plow,and also to promote convenience in con trolling and operatingcornstalk-cutters.

The invention consists of the combination of parts, substantially ashereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

A are the wheels, the axle B of which re volves in bearings attached tothe side bars of the frame C. The faces of the wheels A are toothed orroughened to prevent'them from slipping upon the ground. The wheels Aareconnected with the axle B by pawls D and ratchet-wheels E, so that thesaid wheels,when turned forward, will carry the said axle with them, butcan be turned back without revolving the axle, and one wheel can berevolved slower than the other without effecting the reolution of thesaid axle;

To the forward cross-bar of the frame C is attached the tongue F, whichis strengthened against side draft by the braces or hounds G.

To the inner parts of the side bars of the frame C are attached uprightplates or frames H, to the upper parts of which, and over or a little inthe rear of the axle B, are attached the ends of a rod, I. The rod Ipasses through holes in the rear ends of the levers J, six, (more orless) o f which can be used, and which are kept at the proper distanceapart by tubular washers placed upon the said rod I between the saidlevers.

Upon thelower sides of the rear parts of the levers J are formedinclined shoulders K for the outer ends of the radial arms or cams Ltostrike against to raise the forward ends of the said levers J. Theforward sides of the outer y ends of the arms L are beveled to lessenthe friction as the said arms come in contact with the inclinedshoulders K. The arms L are attached to the axle B, and are so arrangedthat the alternate levers J will be raised toget-her, and that eachlever J will be raised once a foot as the machine is drawn forward. 'Ihelevers J, after being raised, are forced down with a sudden impulse byspiral or other springs M interposed between the rear parts of the saidlevers J and the cross-bar N, attached to the plates or frames H, andwhich is recessed to form seats for the said springs.

To the forward ends of the levers J are loosely hinged the upper ends ofVthe bars O, to the lower ends of which are secured by bolts and nutsthe cutters or knives I), so that the said cutters can be removed to besharpened and to be replaced by new cutters when required. The cuttersl? are made of such a length that their adjacent ends will slightlyoverlap each other, as shown in Fig. 3, to prevent any stalks from beingleft uncut between the cutters. With this construction, should thecutters l? strike an obstruction, the bars O can swing back to preventthe said cutters or bars from being broken. As soon as the obstructionhas been passed, the bars O are swung forward into and are held in theirnormal position by springs Q, attached to the lower sides of the forwardends of the levers J, and which press against the rear sides of theupper parts of the said bars O, as shown in Fig. l.

The downward movement of the levers J, bars O,and cutters P is limitedby a cross-bar, R`, attached at its ends to the side bars of the frameC, and against which the lower sides of the forward ends of the saidlevers strike.

To the forward parts of the side bars of the frame C are attacheddownwardly-inclined bars S,which are strengthened in position by bracesT,attached to them and to the side bars of the said frame C.

To the ends of the inclined bars S are pivoted the ends of the roller U,which, as the machine is drawn forward, bends or breaks down thestanding stalks, so as to bring them into proper position to be cut bythe knives I).

To the side bars of the frame C, near the axle B, are pivoted the endsof a long crank, V, which crosses the machine beneath the mid- ICO dleparts of the levers J. To the crank V is pivoted the lower end of theconnecting-rod \V, the upper end of which is pivoted to the lever X.lThe lowei` end of the lever X is pivoted to the bar N, so that byoperating the lever X the levers J will be raised, raising the barsOandcutters l) away from the ground and bringing the shoulders K of the saidlevers J into such a position that they will not be struck by the arinsL as the axle B revolves. The inacliine can be locked out of gear bycatching the lever X upon the hook Y attached to the cross-bar Z, theends of which are attached to the tops ofthe frames H a little in therear of the axle B.

To the middle part of the cross-bar Z is attached the forward end of thebar a, the rear end of which is attached to the upper end of the shortstandard b, the lower end ot' which is attached' to the middle part ofthe rear cross-bar of the franie C. Several holes are formed in the bar(c to receive the lower end of the standard c, to the other end ol"which is attached the drivers seat d. so that the said seat can bereadily adjusted to cause the drivers weight to properly balance theinachine.

With this construction, as the machine is drawn along a row of stalks,the said stalks will be cnt into short lengths, so that they will notobstruct the plowing and will be turned under by the plows.

The machine can be made narrow to cut a single row of stalks, or widerto cut two rows of stalks at a time.

Having thus described myinvention,Iclai1n as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent- In a cornstalk-chopper, the combination, with the framehaving upon its sidebars the upright plates or frames, of the axlehaving the radial arms, the levers With their upper ends pivoted to andbetween said upright plates or frame, said levers having contact withsaid arms and carrying at their forward ends pivoted ch0pper-bars, andthe cross-bar secured upon the upper edges of said upright plates andhaving upon its under side recesses which contain springs acting uponsaid levers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

GEORGE A. STONE.

VitncsSos:

L. N. GUILD, C. T. GARNER, Jr.

